The new iPod touch looks like an iPhone because of the similar looks and same 4-inch screen that comes with the iPhone. As it is said that an iPod touch is an iPhone without the phone part and this new device rightly proves it. It’s thinner than the new iPhone and the best part is it costs less than the iPhone. iPod touch (also known as iTouch) is a perfect device for those who want to run iOS apps and games at an affordable choice, without shelling out a premium. So if you’ve finally decided to buy an iPod touch, then you’ve got two options – should you buy the latest 5th generation iPod touch or should you buy the older 4th generation one? Let’s discuss some differences between these two generations of iPod touch and clear out the buying dilemma.
| Device | iPod Touch 5th Generation | iPod Touch 4th Generation |
| Screen size | 4-inch | 3.5-inch |
| Screen resolution | 1136 x 640 (326 PPI) | 960 x 640 (326 PPI) |
| Size | 4.86 × 2.31 × 0.24 inches | 4.4 × 2.32 × 0.28 inches |
| Processor | A5 | A4 |
| Front camera | 1.2MP photos & HD video (720p) | VGA camera and video recording at 30 FPS |
| Rear camera | 5-megapixel iSight camera & HD (1080p) video recording | Capture photos in 960 x 720 & HD (720p) video recording |
| LED flash | Yes | No |
| Audio playback | Up to 40 hours | Up to 40 hours |
| Video playback | Up to 8 hours | Up to 7 hours |
| Colors | Black, white, blue, red, pink & yellow | Black and white |
| Apple EarPods | Yes | No, comes with Apple Earphones |
| iPod Touch Loop | Yes | No |
| Capacity & price | 32GB for $299 & 64GB for $399 | 16GB for $199 & 32GB for $249 |
| Weight | 3.10 ounces (88 grams) | 3.56 ounces (101 grams) |
| Ports | Lightning connector, stereo minijack | Dock connector, stereo minijack |
| WiFi | 802.11 a/b/g/n Wi-Fi | 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi |
| Siri | Yes | No |
| AirPlay mirroring | Yes | No |
| Passbook & Maps | Yes | Yes |
| iOS 6 | Yes | Yes |
The new 5th generation iPod touch comes with a bigger screen of 4-inch (1136 x 640) compared to the 3.5-inch (960 x 640) of the 4th generation. Both devices come with Retina display and 326 pixels per inch (PPI).
If you want to use this iPod as a camera and shoot videos also, then you will need to buy 5th generation iPod touch and the reason for this is that it has more powerful 5MP iSight camera, autofocus, LED flash and face detection. The iSight camera can shoot 1080p HD video and also lets you shoot panorama photos with ease. There are no such features in 4th generation.
The 5th-gen iPod touch is powered by Apple A5 processor (like the iPad 2 or iPhone 4) which is a step up from the 4th gen iPod touch that comes with A4 chip. This means that it offers twice the graphics and CPU performance compared to the 4th gen.
Siri is compatible with 5th generation iPod touch only and not with 4th generation. You can upgrade to iOS 6 on 4th gen also but Siri is not supported on it.
The new iPod touch comes with EarPods (Apple’s new term for describing Earphones), Lightning to USB cable and the loop whereas the old model comes with Apple Earphones and USB cable only.
With this in mind and the above table, you can get a fair idea about the difference between these different generation models. If you are still confused then here’s a piece of advice – if you can shell out $100 more, then buy the 5th generation device as it has more powerful processor, 5MP camera, bigger screen and large storage capacity. It only makes sense to buy the newer model but if you are on a very tight budget, then 4th generation is the only choice you are left with.
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